Product Description

Want to try 24/7 online?Click here to go to the manufacturer web site (link will open in a new window) where they've posted a great online version of 24/7 with a very challenging AI opponent! Play now!

24/7 the Game is an exciting strategy game that combines elements of luck and skill. Using durable plastic tiles on a full color game board, players take turns laying tiles on a 7×7 grid and score points for adjacent tiles that create runs, sets and sums of 24 or 7.

In 24/7, players score for combinations of tiles in four directions. While the importance of tile placement and strategy is key to winning, the element of luck magnifies as the combinations of tiles take shape in all four directions.

Play a tile and score points or block your opponent from scoring. In 24/7 the Game by playing the right balance between offensive and defensive placement, you’ll keep your opponents on their toes and rack up the points.

24/7 has an ingenious mechanic that constantly changes the landscape of the game board. No matter how many times you play, no two games are ever the same.

Product Reviews

I'm not sure where to start, to best get across to you just how much
we love this game. There are plenty of reviews here that'll tell you
how it's played, so I won't bother with that. What I will say however
is number scrabble it ain't, unless all a game needs to fall into that
category are tiles with numbers on. Better to describe it as a tile
laying game and leave it at that. As for the theme, I think that 24/7
refers to how often you're going to want to play this game.

Anway, I thought I'd go through the things we love about this one by
one - here goes:

The gameplay: Simple - lay a tile, get some points (hopefully), pick a tile.
Easy-peasy, everyone can manage this, making it one accessible game.

The scoring system: Ingenious, with all sorts of options for getting those points, from
sums to poker-like runs and sets to marvellous 'gotcha' moments when
you pull off one of the special tile combos and win a very satisfying
bonus. Yes, there's a lot to remember to begin with, but if (as we
did) you're all learning together it means that you can grow into it
together, and it gives the game a meaty and well-defined pair of legs,
with lots of room for you to grow into, gradually improving and
extending your game. Two games are rarely the same - at least, that's
what we've found.

The game length: Our first thought on seeing the board was 'wow, really small...', but
it's perfectly formed. You've got enough space to enjoy yourself, but
not so much that the game drags, and it's all over usually at just the
right moment. Our games tend to come in at under 40 mins easily, which
means plenty of scope for another go (and this time I'M going to win!).

Portability: We're coffeeshop gamers, and this baby goes into a little bag and is
playable on the smallest of tables. Point 3 comes in here too - you
won't get thrown out for hogging the tables.

Scalability: Have I spelled that correctly? Oh well... terrific with four, awesome
with three, fabulous with two, I can't think of many games that scale
as well as this one.

The designer: Not normally a consideration, but the lovely and super-generous Carey
Grayson just HAS to have a mention in here. We knew we wanted this
game when we saw it on the net, but everywhere we went that stocked it
had sold out, and we really tried hard - Paris, Barcelona, Salzburg -
all stripped of their stock. In desperation I got in touch with
Sunriver Games directly, and Mr Grayson went several extra miles to
personally help me get hold of a copy, so not only is he a number one
game designer but a jolly good bloke too.

Seriously folks, this is an awesome game, that everyone we've played
with has loved. Yes, it's got it's luck, but you'll need strategy and
tactics too. Yes, there's maths involved, but nothing more complex
than adding and counting, and we can all do that, surely? Play it
light, play it heavy, play nice or play mean, I guarantee that there's
a ton of fun in this game and something for everyone. We can compare
it to other games, but at the end of the day it's unfair, because I
honestly can't think of anything like this. It's clever, interesting,
fun - unique. In fact, I recommend that - if you love your games -
you'll buy this beauty right now. If you don't like it, I'll eat my hat.

We have been playing 24/7 the Game for a while now, and our
family has been enjoying it immensely.

This is the best family game as it is simple to teach, but as the
game progresses, you must adjust your strategy as new and
very interesting choices begin to emerge.

I really enjoyed how simple yet challenging this game was.

by
Kelly

Enjoying the game

January 16, 2007

Ordered one for my 13 year old nephew who HATES math who played it
with my husband, and really liked it! So I sent another game to my other
13 year old nephew in Ohio who thinks it is the best game ever! He and
his dad have been having 24/7 tournaments every weekend and inviting
friends, adult and kids, over to play also! I have three kids between 20
and 25 who have been enjoying the game and my youngest took it back
to OSU with him to play in his dorm. Any game that can get these kids
away from their video games and enjoy math has got to be fantastic!

24/7 is a beautifully-made game (smooth heavy tiles, striking red
glass beads, velvet drawstring bag) that is both fun and
challenging to play. The game is quick (about 1/2 an hour) and
the rules are simple and easy to learn and teach.

Others have already described the basic idea of the game, so I'll
focus on how it plays. At this point, I've played 2, 3, and 4-player
games and enjoyed all of them. Two-player games are the
sneakiest/most strategic; four-player games are the "mathiest."
That's because in a two-player game you have a greater
likelihood of setting up a scoring possibility that you'll have a
chance to use yourself, whereas in the four-player game, you
spend more time analyzing the available options.

I've played this game at home one-on-one with an adult friend
who loved it (she's an accountant) as well as with my usual
gaming buddies (9 year old daughter, 20-something friend who
works in a toystore, 40-something husband), all of whom enjoyed
it. My daughter and I also donated a copy to her school's
morning math games program. Everytime we get it out to play,
the other 2 seats are instantly claimed (sometimes I relinquish
my own spot to let a third kid play instead). Typically, it's 3rd
graders (my daughter's classmate) who join us, but we do have a
very math-oriented 1st grader who regularly joins us and often
wins. And I'm confident enough that most 2nd graders can play
(by the Spring) that I've just sent a copy to my nephew's
classroom.

While the game itself requires only basic addition skills (up to 24),
scoring (which could easily be left to an adult if necessary)
involves multiplication. The scoresheet is very well designed from
a math-teaching perspective. It involves minimal work while
you're playing (simple tallying), it makes the logic of multiplication
clear (did something multiple times), and provides experience
with multiplying larger numbers using place value and then with
adding them.

One tip I'd offer for teachers who are considering this game (or
any other!) for classroom use is that team, cooperative, and/or
coached play -- that is, any situation in which an individual isn't
silently assessing his or her own options -- generally makes
games more educational. It pushes kids to be explicit about their
reasoning (so they can explain it to others) and to survey more
options (hence do more math). This approach also stretches your
budget for games because it turns a 4 player game into an 8
player game with kids working in pairs and making decisions
together.

by
Troudi

9 out of 10

December 06, 2006

Even if the game and the mechanism don’t sound particularly
original or interesting – they turn out to be both, and very much
so. Of course, one has to deduct something when playing with
more than 2 people, even if this is a very interesting family game
that challenges every player to plan ahead for one’s own moves
and to estimate the moves of the other players – which is clearly
more difficult than when playing with just 2 people.

This is where “24/7” has its particular strength: with 2 people,
this board game becomes a highly tactical affair when the players
try to snatch points from each other. Fundamentally, you should
always keep an eye on stealing valuable points from the
opponent by blocking a tile or if you at least block a move for the
opponent, or if your own tile actually provides an opportunity to
the opponent.

It is necessary to keep track of the tiles that have already been
played, and to come up (through observation) with an idea of
which tiles the opponent does not seem to have, or does not /
can not play. With 2 players, “24/7” becomes a highly interesting
and demanding board games with simple rules. For us, this is
definitely one of the games that did not find the deserved
attention at the 2006 Spielermesse in Essen.

by
A Gamer

Great!

July 09, 2007

24/7 is a fun and simple game published by the really likeable company
sun river games. the rules are explained in two minutes, and one game
lasts at about 20 minutes - and then you wanna play again, as you want
to improve your actions. basically you have to draw numbered tiles
(manufactured very well, same as the whole gaming equipment!!) and
have to think hard where to put it to complete a combination of
numbers or sums to gain a lot of victory points. as there are so many
possibilities, no game is like the other and lasting fun is
guaranteed. great!!

by
Jack Bauer, eh, Moritz Eggert

Very recommended

November 28, 2006

24-7 the Game is a great light game of number tile scoring, a bit
reminiscent of but much better than Zatre (which plays much slower).
Sunriver Games has again managed to produce a winner!

Very recommended – for all kinds of gaming groups.

Rules: bilingual (German and English), can be explained in 2 minutes
Game material: impeccably good
Game length: 20 minutes, and you want to play again immediately

24/7 the Game (Sunriver and Funagain Games, 2006 – Carey Grayson) may
very well have one of the thinnest themes I’ve seen in a game. Yes,
the numbers “24” and “7” nicely match up with the theme of time, but
that’s about it; 24/7 is mostly a numerical math puzzle-type game.
There are many ways to describe the game, but I certainly feel as if
“mathematical Scrabble” comes fairly close.

I’m someone who enjoys numerical games such as this, and 24/7
scratches my itch fairly well – it’s interesting enough to keep my
attention, yet not so much of a brain burner that my mind paralyzes
mid game. Players attempt to find the best combinations; and while
there is some luck of the draw, future planning and logic come into
play, enough that I’m convinced the better player will win most games.
Puzzle enthusiasts may have a more enjoyable time than most with the
game, but it’s light enough to have family appeal.

The board consists of a seven by seven grid of squares, and each
player takes a rack, drawing five tiles (six in a two-player game)
from a bag. There are forty tiles in total, four of each number from
“1” to “10”. One tile is placed face up in the middle space of the
board, and three are secretly removed from the game. One player is
given a score sheet, and a pile of “Time Out” stones is placed near
the board. The player whose age is closest to twenty-four goes first,
and then play proceeds clockwise.

On a player’s turn, they simply play a tile adjacent to any tile on
the board, and then draw a new tile back into their rack. Every time
a tile is placed, it forms a line of tiles (quite possibly more than
one line). These lines are immediately examined to see if the player
scores any points. Players receive points for completing one or more
of the following combinations.

The sum of all the tiles in the line equals exactly “7” or “24”

Three or four of the same number are in a row

There is a “run” of tiles (“2”, “3”, “4”, etc.) of three, four,
five, or six tiles.

Each combination scores a player from twenty to sixty points. If the
tile the player places covers a “double time” space on the board, then
they score double the points for combinations they make at that point.
Players can also get a bonus if they get the “24” and “7” combination
using the same tile, or if they form “24” with exactly seven tiles.

No line can ever have a higher sum than “24”. When a line reaches
“24”, then time out stones are placed in the spaces on both ends,
since no tiles can be played there any longer. If players see a space
during the game that can no longer be legally played upon, then time
out stones are placed there also.

The game continues until either all players have used all their
tiles, or there is nowhere else to place tiles. At this point,
players total their scores, and the game ends. The player with the
highest score wins (ties broken by the amount of tiles left, but I’ve
never seen a tie).

Some comments on the game…

Components: The game comes in a large square box, possibly larger
than is necessary, but the pieces fit inside easily. The board is a
medium-sized board and has some nice background graphics that bring
out the minimalistic theme, yet aren’t too intrusive. The tiles
themselves are satisfying to hold – with a nice, chunky, almost domino
like quality about them. When played on the board, the entire game
has an almost austere quality about it, giving off vibes of high
quality. Once again, I will point out that the theme of the game is
fairly non-existent; while I know that it matches the numbers, it
doesn’t mean too much to me. And there’s really no way I’m telling
people they just scored 50 minutes instead of 50 points. Still, it’s
better than no theme.

Rules: The rulebook is only three pages long, but they are large
pages with a large, easy to read font. Color illustrations and
examples are shown, and I was able to figure it out in about two
minutes – and explain it just as quickly. Some things need to be
emphasized, such as the fact that a run or set can be part of a longer
line, or exactly when you score bonuses, but for the most part it’s an
easy game that can be understood by anyone who can do multiple
addition in their heads.

Players: The game works with three or four players, but I find
that it is at its best with two (or possibly using the variant of
teams of two players). With two players, you have more control, and
the draw of tiles is less important. It’s also easier to set up a run
or set, without the fear that another player might steal it before you
have the chance to play a tile. I’m not saying that a four-player
game isn’t fun – it is; but it’s more of a casual, light game, while
the two-player game can really be a battle of wits.

Comparisons: The game immediately reminded me of Scrabble, in
that you are forming rows of tiles, and there are “double score”
spaces on the board. I was also reminded of the game Kingdoms, in
which players are placing tiles for numerical rows and columns on a
grid-like board. But, even though these comparisons come to mind –
and I’ve seen them printed in other places on the ‘net -- I don’t
think they are overly accurate. 24/7 is its own game, and as simple
as it is, it feels fairly unique in its scoring and game play.

Luck vs. Strategy: One can watch all the tiles that have been
played and use them in comparison to the tiles on their rack to set
themselves up for future plays. Obviously there is some luck to the
game; if you are the only person to get the four “6” tiles, it’s a
good day for you. But players can still mitigate the luck of the
opposing player by playing more aggressively, placing tiles simply to
block their opponent. Even when I’ve lost the game, I felt that it
was because of poor tile placement on my part, rather than luck of the
draw.

Fun Factor: As much as I enjoy the game, I also realize that a
lot of people may not like the math involved, even though I think it’s
fairly simple. For me, the fun of the game comes from that “aha!”
moment, when you can place the last tile into position that finishes
two rows and scores the big bonus. I also get a kick out of proving
which spaces can no longer have a tile legally played in them. Some
folks aren’t up for this, and some folks can drag the game out past
the thirty-minute mark that most of mine have fallen into – simply by
belaboring each choice. The choices are simple and not as varied as
one might think - actually increasing the value of an abstract game
such as this.

Ending: One minor negative point about the game – it tends to
peter out rather than end enthusiastically. In the last fourth of the
game, tile options are rather limited, and the game play isn’t nearly
as intense as the middle. Usually the winner is somewhat obvious
about 4/5 of the way through, although we always play out – just in case.

If you are looking for a nice two-player game (with the option of
going up to four) that is slightly abstract, yet is a fun, beautiful
looking mathematical game – 24/7 is for you. I laugh as I look back
on that statement, because it tends to sterilize the game more than I
intend – 24/7 is a light fun game that actually holds a bit more
strategy behind the surface than first obvious. Make no mistake – it
will never be considered a classic on the lines of Chess or Go, but it
is a pleasant diversion and one that may have considerable staying power.

Released by SunRiver Games, 24 / 7 challenges players to play
tiles so as to form runs or sets of numbers, or to accumulate
totals valuing “7” or “24”. In spite of this rather mundane
objective, the tight grid of numbers makes spotting possible
scoring opportunities quite challenging and fun.

The game is played with four sets of tiles numbered 1 – 10 and a
board depicting a 7x7 grid, upon which the tiles will be played.
Armed with an initial hand of 5 or 6 tiles, players alternate
placing one tile at a time onto the board. The objective is to form
runs of 3 – 6 consecutive numbers, sets of 3 or 4 numbers, or
cause a cumulative total of “7” or “24” points. Points are tracked
on a score pad, with victory going to the player achieving the
most points when no further tiles can be played.

A tile must be played adjacent – horizontally, vertically or
diagonally – to any previously placed tile. Scoring is immediate if
a player successfully achieves a run, set or total as described
above. If a “double time” space is covered, any score is doubled.
Bonuses are earned if a player scores both a total of “7”
and “24” with the placement of a tile, or if he achieves the sum
of “24” by placing the 7th tile in that row. After placing a tile, a
replacement is drawn.

An important rule is that no line of tiles can total MORE than 24,
so some “dead” spaces will occur. These are marked by stones,
which reduce the placement options as the game progresses.

Strategy wise, the game primarily relies on spotting ideal
locations to optimize scores. This is more of a matter of being
observant as opposed to any real strategic prowess. Sure, there
are some strategies to employ, but the overall skill is one of
spotting the optimum placements. There is a bit more control
when playing with just 2-players, but the game is also fun and
challenging with a full contingent of four.

24 / 7 is a fun, family game along the same lines as games such
as Sequence or 5ive Straight. There isn’t a huge amount to think
about, but there are enough decisions to be made to feel one’s
victory is deserved rather than happenstance. Spending time
with 24 / 7 is certainly time well spent.

NOTE: This review was first published in Knucklebones magazine
Released by SunRiver Games, 24 / 7 challenges players to play tiles so as to form
runs or sets of numbers, or to accumulate totals valuing “7” or “24”. In spite of
this rather mundane objective, the tight grid of numbers makes spotting possible
scoring opportunities quite challenging and fun.

One would think that with a name like “24 / 7”, this game would somehow be related
to time. Well, in a VERY loose way it is, as the rules are steeped in time-related
terminology. There are “time out” stones, “double-time” spaces, and points are
termed “minutes”. It is a gallant attempt to give a theme to a decidedly abstract
game.

The game is played with four sets of thick tiles numbered 1 – 10 and a board
depicting a 7x7 grid, upon which the tiles will be played. Three tiles are removed
prior to the game, eliminating the possibility of foolproof “tile” counting. Armed
with an initial hand of 5 or 6 tiles, players alternate placing one tile at a time
onto the board. The objective is to form runs of 3 – 6 consecutive numbers, sets of
3 or 4 numbers, or cause a cumulative total of “7” or “24” points. Points,
termed “minutes” in game parlance”, are tracked on a score pad, with victory going
to the player achieving the most “time” when no further tiles can be played.

A tile must be played adjacent – horizontally, vertically or diagonally – to any
previously placed tile. Scoring is immediate if a player successfully achieves a
run, set or total as described above. If a “double time” space is covered, any
score is doubled. Bonuses are earned if a player scores both a total of “7”
and “24” with the placement of a tile, or if he achieves the sum of “24” by placing
the 7th tile in that row. After placing a tile, a replacement is drawn.

An important rule is that no line of tiles can total MORE than 24, so some “dead”
spaces will occur. These are marked by “Time Out” stones, which reduce the
placement options as the game progresses.

Strategy wise, the game primarily relies on spotting ideal locations to optimize
scores. This is more of a matter of being observant as opposed to any real
strategic prowess. Sure, there are some strategies to employ, primarily keeping a
good range of numbers available for placement, especially low-valued numbers. The
overall skill, however, is one of spotting the optimum placements. There is a bit
more control when playing with just 2-players, but the game is also fun and
challenging with a full contingent of four.

24 / 7 is a fun, family game along the same lines as games such as Sequence or 5ive
Straight. There isn’t a huge amount to think about, but there are enough decisions
to be made to feel one’s victory is deserved rather than happenstance. Spending
time with 24 / 7 is certainly time well spent.

Other Resources for 24/7 The Game:

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